Fowler Hopes To Find More Home-Cooking At The 2019 Honda Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL - Rickie Fowler, the 2017 Honda Classic Champion and the current No. 8 player in the world, has committed to play in the 2019 Honda Classic, a PGA TOUR event February 25-March 3 at PGA National Resort & Spa.

Fowler will challenge close friend, defending champion Justin Thomas, and a world-class field that also includes world No. 2 Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia (2017 Masters champion), Adam Scott (2016 Honda champion), Padraig Harrington (2015 Honda champion), Ernie Els, Jim Furyk (Sponsor's Exemption), Graeme McDowell, Tommy Fleetwood, Charl Schwartzel, Webb Simpson, Gary Woodland, Alex Noren, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Stewart Cink, Charles Howell III, Emiliano Grillo, Jhonattan Vegas, Billy Horschel, Cameron Smith, Luke List (2018 Honda Classic runner-up), Jason Dufner, Russell Henley (2014 Honda Classic champion), Rory Sabbatini (2011 Honda Classic champion), Vijay Singh (1999 Honda Classic champion), and Michael Thompson (2013 Honda Classic champion).

Players have until Friday February 22 to commit to play in the tournament.

Fowler overcame bizarre adversity to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open earlier this month and slide back into the Top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He was leading by five shots when he came to the tee at the 11th hole. He hit his approach shot right of the green and then hit his chip too hard and into the water. He dropped next to a bunker and, as he stood on the green preparing for his next shot, the ball rolled back into the water without being touched. It was ruled the ball was in play and Fowler incurred another one stroke penalty. He left himself a 17-footer for triple-bogey, but made it to maintain the lead.

Fowler steadied himself from there and cruised to a two-stroke victory, his fifth on the PGA TOUR and first since his 2017 Honda Classic victory.

Fowler credited his general mindset on life for not getting overly rattled by his stroke of bad luck.

"Yeah, for me, whether people say I'm not someone that gets mad enough or I guess whatever it may be that they think golfers or people that win should be, the way I was brought up is life's a lot bigger than just the day-to-day stuff," Fowler said. "Trophies are great and all. But if we happen to finish second, third, fourth, the sun's going to come up tomorrow. We are going to live another day, we're going to move forward. There's a lot bigger things out there. Life could be a lot worse. And so then you kind of look at things in a positive light and just say, hey, all right, we'll go see what we can figure out and make the best of the situation."

Fowler is good friends with Thomas, who lives about a half-mile up the street from him in Jupiter. They share a trainer, practice together often and socialize with each other. At some events, they share a home.

The last two years at The Honda, each experiencing the joy of victory, they have made sleeping at home appear to be quite an advantage. It's an edge Fowler hopes to capitalize on again.

"I love it down here," Fowler said. "We have a lot of the guys that live down here. We get to play and practice together when we're home, and we travel together. So it's special.

"We've got a lot of locals from the Jupiter area who come out here (to The Honda Classic) and a lot of good friends. Any win is special, but being able to stay in my bed and at home and have home-cooked meals makes it that much more nice."

Grounds tickets, Bear Trap tickets and other hospitality tickets and packages for the 2019 Honda Classic are on sale at thehondaclassic.com or by calling 1-844-8Honda8 (844-846-6328).